It's Not A Date!
by Morsefan1
Summary: When Morse willingly accompanies Joan to a quiz night they both expect it to just be an outing between friends, that's what they do think it is. But not her parents, in fact they think quite the opposite as how many times does Joan have to tell them? They are just friends but by the time this quiz night comes around are they just friends?


**It's Not A Date!****  
**The door opens and in comes Morse and Thursday bringing a heavy draft with them, the door takes Morse quite some effort to close. Hats, scarfs, shoes and coats are removed and hung up in their appropriate place before the two can settle inside in the warmth. Thursday is greeted by Win as usual with a loving kiss.  
"How was your day dear" she asks  
"Same old" Thursday answers (this is usual reply unless something out of the ordinary happens. Mrs Thursday turns round and is taken by surprise when she spots Morse awkwardly standing in the hallway,  
"Oh sorry dear I didn't see you there" she apologises  
"That's quite alright Mrs Thursday, good evening" Morse politely replies  
"Good evening love".  
The living room door opens and out comes Sam to s have a nose at who the visitor is  
"Evening Sam" Thursday greets  
"Evening dad" he replies  
"How are you today Morse?" he then asks  
"Good thanks, how are you?" Morse answers shyly  
"Not too bad" Sam replies and before long he has resumed his activities back in the living room so the two Thursdays continue their conversation,  
"Where's Joan, I haven't seen her all day"  
"In her room, you know what these girls are like. I wouldn't go and see her just yet she's still in a mood about this quiz night, none of her friends are interested"  
"A quiz night?"  
Morse still quietly standing in the hallway interrupts  
"sorry for butting in" he begins  
"oh no it's fine hun. Would you be interested in going with her?" Morse nods,  
"It would be very interesting"  
"Oh Joan will be pleased, she's been talking about it for months. I'll go and tell her now" Mrs Thursday trots up the stairs to tell Joan relieved from the hell they would've had.

"So you're up to being my quiz partner then are you?" Morse jumps and swivels his head sharply to see Joan halfway up the stairs leaning on the banister  
"Oh sorry miss Thursday" Morse apologizes shakily, still recovering from the jump Joan gave him. Joan chuckles  
"sorry did I give you a fright?" she asks, Morse clears his throat and shakes his head  
"Well.." Joan starts off but is interrupted by her mother who comes bounding down the stairs, she has to move sharpish before she gets trampled on.  
"Shall she come by your house around 7 Morse?" she shouts as she makes her way down the stairs  
"Oh no Mrs Thursday that's quite alright, I'll pick her up"  
Thursday who by now is settled in the dining room puffing away at his pipe interveins  
"They can take the jag if they'd like"  
"Oh no dear" Mrs Thursday instructs  
"Let them enjoy the walk"  
Morse looks at the clock which has just struck 9  
"Well its getting late so I suppose I'd better be off. Thank you for having me Mrs Thursday"  
"That's ok dear anytime" she replies  
Morse gives Thursday a nod  
"Sir" before seeing himself out.

The second Morse gives the door a quiet tap he sees Win rushing up excitedly to answer it  
"come in" she welcomes as Morse takes two steps into the warm hallway.  
"Joan is just upstairs; you know what these girls are like. I'll go and give her a shout" and Mrs Thursday takes two steps up the stairs and yells  
"Joan!"  
But there is no reply  
"I'll be two ticks Morse, she probably has that blasted record player on" she says marching upstairs. Thursday who has been disturbed from his television programme pokes his head round the door to hush the hullabaloo notices the constable waiting patiently for the two ladies  
" Oh hello there Morse, I didn't hear you come in"  
"good evening sir"  
"I take it your here for Joany. I can't see why she's taking so long that's why we said 7" Morse nods as not being used to women is a bit baffled by the situation  
Thursday takes a deep breath as he's about to have a bit of a heart to heart with his bagman,  
"you know.." he begins but has to pause to think about how to put this but he has to speed up the thought processes what with Morse's full attention on him  
"if you do, take a fancy to her you have my blessing to go for it. Don't feel like I'm in your way because I'd have absolutely no problem with you two as a couple"  
"Joan?" Morse asks, not really catching on. Thursday nods  
"well you're a respectable young gentleman and I know you'll treat her right and make her happy"  
Morse, taken back by this as it's come out of nowhere replies  
"well I think at the moment we're just friends  
"of course. But if you ever do, you know then I am perfectly fine with it so don't let me stop you" there is an awkward pause as Morse doesn't know what to say and wonders if he's missed something but that is soon broken as Joan (who is not at all pleased with her mum right now) plods down the stairs  
"how are you then dear?" Thursday jokes seeing the sulk on her face. Joan gives her dad a wicked stare so he decides he'd better back away into the living room  
"Just a sec!" her mum shouts from up the stairs, being all motherly as usual and wanting a new photo to add to the album (even though she has not grasped the fact that this isn't a date)  
Morse feeling the uncomfortable atmosphere starts up conversation  
"you look...nice"  
"thank you, you don't look too bad yourself" she chuckles feeling Morse's nerves and trying to relax him, he gives a nervous laugh but stays silent.  
"Let's go unless you want to not hear the last of my dad teasing you about the ridiculous photo that is about to be taken" so the two scraper leaving Mrs Thursday stranded in the hallway with the camera she took ages to find.

The two walk side by side talking about the one topic on both of their minds.  
"I apologize about my parents, especially my mother" Joan says  
"that's ok they're fine" Morse replies  
"they're really not. Why they can't accept we're just friends I don't know"  
"Mm" is all Morse has to say  
Joan turns to Morse, they stare at one another but slowly move towards each other. How it happened they don't know but all we can ask now is, are they still 'just friends'?


End file.
